Process of treating gas-tar residuum.



Nb. 708,5!0. Patented Sept. 2, I902.

J. T, LOWE. I

PBDOESS 0F TREATING GAS TAR BESIDUUM.

(Application filed Jan. 21, 1901.) (Na Model.) '2 Sheefls-8heet PatentedSept. 2, 1902.

J. T. LOWE. PROCESS OF TREATING GAS TAR nsswuum.

,(Application filed Jan. 21, 1901-) 2 Shaets-Sheet 2.

Ma 3w .0. 0 1

(No Mada.)

f NEED, rATES JOHNLJT LowE',Y oF nos'ron, MASSACHUSETTS, Assieuon orrwo-rnin ns 7 ToMI-L'roN P. MC-LAUGHLIN, or SOMERVILLE, AND JOSEPH N.SMITH,

, O-F- WOLLASTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

fr access F TREATENG oAe-TAR RESIDUUMQ srnc irrcnrrolv forming part ofLetters Eatent No. 208,510, dated September 2,1902:

To all" whorl tit may concern.-

Be it knownthat I JOHN T. LOWE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk andState of Massach usetts,ha veinven ted certain new anduseful'Improvements in Processes of Treating Residu'um;'of whichthefollowing is a specifieati na 'y' Figure 1 represents, more or lessconventionally,a plant equipped with my invention. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5represent-a device for separating the i'vater from the residuum.

Muo h-difii'cultyhas hitherto been experien cedin t'h'e "manufacture"ofwhat is known as f Pint's chgas in'disposing of the residuum r5 ofta'r.'In plant-s for the manufacture of this gas'the" tar is permitted toescape from the ret'ort's intoa con'duitpfr'om whence it is car- I riedto a suitable receptacle. The consistenc'y of the tar'va'iies accordingto the temzo perature of tlieatmosphere and according to varyingconditions,"'so that at times it is difficult to remove the tar prior tovits hardening in the conduit. In order to obviate this difficulty, Iprovide for astream of water flowing through the conduit, so as to flushit out, a relatively small quantity of water serving for this purpose.By thus employing the water the tar is carried away through the conduitto a proper receptacle of a practically o uniform consistency before ithas had an opportunity to cake or harden. The presence of the large bodyof Water in the tar, hovtw ever, renders it difficult to burn thelatter, and hence in order to render the latter readily 5 combustible Iprovide means for separating the water from the tar.

Referring to the accompanyingdrawings, and more particularly to Fig. l,a a a representaplurality of pairs of retorts arranged 0 as indicated.They do not differ from those ordinarily employed in the manufacture ofmtsch gas, oil being carried. to them from a tank I) by means of a pipeI), having branches as indicated.

a. indicate'sthe fire-box of each retort, and a. indicates the. pipe forconducting the tar from its etort totne conduit therefor. The saidconduit is indicated conventionally as consisting of a large pipe 0,formed with a trap c, and discharging into a tank d. This Applicationfiled January 21, 1901. Serial No. 44,108. (No specimens.)

conduit is inclined, so that the tar and water will run therethrough 'tothe tank (Z. I have not indicated the gas mains or conduits, as theyform no part of my invention.

'e indicates a boiler-furnacehaving-a fire- '55 box 6, said furnacebeingfor the purposeof supplying steain for-the injectionof the tar'into the fire-boxes of the retorts and'of 'th'e' furnace itself. "1" 'ffindicates the separator which separates the water from theoil,'tlie-mixed oil-and water from the tank (1 being forced up toit intothe funnel-shaped end a? of t-heconduit- A-bor; 0 having a glazedside;i'n c'loses the i 7o funnel e and the end of the pipe f, -so-thatthrough the glass the fiow'of water into the 'con-- duit coan be seen,there being a valve e above the box, by means of which the "ra-te otfidwv of the water can be regulated.

Preferably the separator f and the receiving-tank b are located on afloor above that upon which the retorts and the furnace are located, sothat the oil and the water will flow bygravity therefrom. Anoverflow-pipe for the water leads from the separator f to the tank d,and it is indicated at f, being providedwith the valve f, as shown. Thetar passes from the separator f through a pipe 71., which has aplurality of branches h leading to the fire-boxes of the furnace and theretorts, each of the branches h communicating with an injector, as shownin Fig.5. Steam is supplied tosaid injectors by a pipe 11, leading fromthe boiler-furnace and having a seo ries of branch pipes i. Theinjectors may be formed as desired.

It will be observed that from the pipe 71. there leads a pipe 7L intothe tank d, said branch Jr serving as an overflow in case itis 5 notdesired to use the tar at any time. In order to blow out the tar-pipes,there is between eaeh pair of pipes h '15 a by-pass j, provided with avalve j, and in the pipe it near the separator f there is a check-valve7' ment k there is placed another screen or strainer 10 which is bentinto concave-convex form, as shown in Fig. 5, the pipe h leading fromits interior, as shown in Fig. 4. The purpose of this screen is toprevent the flow of foreign matter into the pipe h. The pipes f and fcommunicate with the compartment k in the casing, the pipef leading froma point near the bottom of .said compartment. The end of pipe g is bent,as at g to form a nozzle, which directs the stream of mixed tar andwater upon the screen k at an obtuse angle thereto. I have discoveredthat when a mixture of tar and water is directed against the top of theinclined screen of foraminous material the tar will flow through thescreen and thatthe water will be deflected by it and will flow along theplane of the screen and be discharged at its lower end. Consequently bydischarging the commingled tar and water upon the screen k the tar flowsthrough the ascertain this is the best mode for separating the waterfrom the oil, and it is my observation that the tar accumulates in thecompartment k with an even density and of uniform' consistency.

According to my invention I am able to secure the steady flow of tarfrom the box into 1 the tank at and by passing the commingled tar andwater through the separator to render the tar in perfect condition, forcombustion. The water which is separated from the tar may be used overand over again, circulating through the pipef, the conduit 0, the tankd, the strainer h, the pump g, the pipe g, and the separator f.

In lieu'of the water for flushing the conduit c and removing'the tar Imay employ thin liquid tar itself. In that event the tar circulatesthrough the pipes constantly, and is thereby prevented from hardening.The constant mixing of the tar by reason of its passing through thepump, the tank, and the separator renders it of a uniform consistency ordensity, as will be readily understood, so

that it may be burned in the furnace and the retort-s.

Having thus explained the natureof the invention and described a way ofconstructnot having a uniform and predetermined consistency.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

' JOHN T. LOWE. Witnesses:

M. B. MAY, P. W. PEZZETTI.

